1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hair curlers and in particular to hair curlers with retaining bands to hold the hair against the curler.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hair curlers are well known in the prior art. Furthermore, there are many hair curling devices disclosed in the prior art that have retaining bands attached thereto for holding the hair to be curled against the roller. Exemplary of such prior art are the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,451 discloses a differential hair engaging retainer to be used in combination with a hair roller and includes a stretchable means extending lengthwise of the hair roller for retaining hair about the roller and forming multiple spaces between the stretchable means and the roller. However, the stretchable means does not retract within the body of the roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,183 discloses a two part hair curler including an improvement whereby the two parts are provided with a cooperating longitudinal slot and a radial projection which interfit during the telescoping of the two parts together to prevent inadvertent unraveling of the hair. No provision is provided in this patent for retracting the retaining member inside of the body of the curler.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,156 discloses a hair roller employing a permanent and reuseable plastic sheet or film, one portion of the sheet being attached to the roller to wind the remainder of the sheet on to the roller when the latter is turned. An elastic retaining cord is disclosed but the cord does not retract into the body of the curler.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,176 discloses a curling rod with which a long lasting, sharply defined wave pattern can be formed having a surface of varying curvature and including at least one section having a curvature of short diameter and at least one other section having a curvature of larger diameter so that curls of varying curvature and diameter are formed on the same curling rod. The curling rod contains an elastic band 53 spanning the length of the rod, but the elastic band does not withdraw into the body of the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,938,523 discloses a variable curl platform curler having a platform element rotatably connected to one end of the curler which is swung into position on the first wound part of the hair to form a raised or enlarged diameter portion upon which the remaining part of the swatch of hair is wound for the purpose of forming larger diameter curls in the end of the hair as it approaches the scalp. The platform hair curler also has a retaining strand fixed to one end with a plug connected at its free end, but the retaining strand is not a adapted to be withdrawn into the body of the curler.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,706 discloses a hair curler having a hollow body in which a capsule can be inserted and automatically punched during insertion to permit the setting fluid to flow out of the capsule and onto the hair to apply a measured quantity of setting solution to the hair. The curler also incorporates a retaining cord, although the retaining cord is not withdrawn completely into the body of the curler.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,285 discloses a hollow hair curler having an elongated perforations running lengthwise of the body to prevent the hair from becoming locked or fitted in the openings and to facilitate the hair sliding free of the curler without any markings on the wrapped curl. The device includes a resilient hair retaining member 24 which does not retract into the body of the curler.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,163,894 discloses a hollow hair curler having a slit therein for insertion of a winding pad having a molded edge which is received inside of the curler body. The curler also contains an elastic band for holding the hair against the curler which does not retract into the body of the curler.
From the above it can be seen that the retaining bands when removed from the curler body do not retract into the body of the curler. Thus, when the curler is being removed from the hair the dangling elastic band can become entangled in the hair if care is not exercised to prevent such entanglement.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hair curler in which the elastic retaining band will retract completely within the body of the curler to prevent the band from becoming entangled in the hair and to expedite the removal of the curler from the hair.